Elizabeth: Society in the Age of Exploration 1558-88

Question 1

Gentlemen

Answer 1

Nobles, lords and gentry - the richest of Elizabeth’s subjects, living in mansions and large estates.

Question 2

Citizens and burgesses in the town

Answer 2

Merchants, master craftsmen, lawyers.

Question 3

Yeomen

Answer 3

Farmers who owned their own land.

Question 4

The fourth sort

Answer 4

Farm labourers, servants, shopkeepers and craftspeople - the poorest of Elizabeth’s subjects, couldn’t read or write.

Question 5

Sports and pastimes

Answer 5

• Nobility often hunted
• Nobility expected to be skilled at fencing
• Tennis and bowls became popular among nobility
• Working-class had little time for leisure (worked 6 days a week)
• Football often played between villages
• Working-class liked gambling on blood sports (cockfighting, bear-baiting, wrestling)

All classes: music, smoking tobacco, celebrating feasts, fishing, archery, storytelling

Question 6

Elizabeth improved the lives of her subjects - Theatres

Answer 6

• No theatres when Elizabeth became Queen, in 1576 first theatre opened + more opened as theatres became increasingly popular
• Elizabeth often had plays performed in court
• Wealthy merchants had the money to watch plays in their spare time
• Earl of Leicester gave actors money and legal support
• Appealed to rich and poor
• Almost 600 plays written under Elizabeth’s rule

Question 7

Elizabeth didn’t improve the lives of her subjects - Theatres

Answer 7

• Even the poor could watch, but they would have to stand in the noisy pit where they could get rained on, whereas the upper classes sat on stools on the stage
• Some people believed theatres encouraged laziness + spread of disease, and Puritans thought they were the work of the devil
• Acting was not considered suitable for women, so men played all the parts

Question 8

Education opportunities during Elizabeth’s reign increased for all ages and classes

Answer 8

+ Bright boys from lower classes could go to grammar schools and maybe university with financial support

+ Only 1/3 from Oxbridge came from nobility and gentry → rest from lower class

+ Local (Petty) schools set up to prepare for grammar schools

+ 72 new grammar schools founded

+The number of people applying to Oxbridge increased

Question 9

Education opportunities during Elizabeth’s reign didn’t increase for all ages and classes

Answer 9

• Most still too poor to go to school (less than 40% could read)
• Mainly rich boys benefitted
• Schools for lower classes normally charged
• Petty school students mainly boys, with only a few upper class girls (less than 10% women could read)

Question 10

Types of vagabonds: ANGLER

Answer 10

Used a long stick to steal clothes from washing lines

Question 11

Types of vagabonds: COUNTERFEIT CRANK

Answer 11

Pretended to have a fit by swallowing soap to foam at the mouth

Question 12

Types of vagabonds: CLAPPER DUDGEON

Answer 12

Put arsenic on their skin to make it bleed and wrapped bandages around their arms and legs

Question 13

Types of vagabonds: DOXY

Answer 13

Carried a bag where she hid things she stole, often knitted while begging and wore a needle in her hats

Question 14

Why did Elizabeth need to deal with poverty?

Coin debasement

Answer 14

Henry VIII decreased the value of the coin (coin debasement), so shopkeepers and merchants had to increase prices (inflation) in order to get the same value for their goods.

Question 15

Why did Elizabeth need to deal with poverty?

Monasteries

Answer 15

Henry VIII closed down monasteries, so monks can’t look after the sick and poor, so now both the monks and the poor have nowhere to go. In addition, as the poor can’t afford physicians, the sick are wandering the streets, spreading disease. Since they aren’t being treated they can’t work anymore so there are even more vagabonds.

Question 16

Why did Elizabeth need to deal with poverty?

Unpredictable harvests

Answer 16

Farmers stopped growing crops due to unpredictable harvests, so the population is starving and there is more unemployment since harvesters on the farm aren’t needed (farmers are farming cattle instead), so there are more vagabonds who are likely to resort to crime.

Question 17

Why did Elizabeth need to deal with poverty?

Population increase

Answer 17

During Elizabeth’s reign the population of England and Wales increased by 1.2 million. More people means there aren’t enough food or jobs, so there are lots of vagabonds on the street and more people are resorting to crime.

Question 18

Why did Elizabeth need to deal with poverty?

Cloth trade

Answer 18

There was a sudden decline in cloth exports from London, England’s biggest port, so there is lots of unemployment for traders and England is making less money from trade.

Question 19

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

RELIGION

Answer 19

Puritans, including some the Privy Council, believed that being poor meant you were lazy and that this was a sin as the devil caused laziness.
Therefore they believed that laziness should be harshly punished.

Question 20

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

SOCIETY

Answer 20

Poor people wandering the streets was a worry to people that thought they might start a rebellion against those in charge.

Question 21

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

PANIC

Answer 21

People believed that there was a larger number of vagabonds roaming the streets than there actually was, and this made them scared.

Question 22

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

CRIME

Answer 22

Beggars often turned to crime and there was no police to stop them.

Question 23

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

DISEASE

Answer 23

Many believed that wandering vagabonds spread diseases such as the plague.

Question 24

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

THE RICH

Answer 24

Many rich believed it was their duty to take care of the poor, but by Elizabeth’s reign there were too many poor people to look after.

Question 25

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

FOURTH SORT

Answer 25

Often seeing beggars whipped in the streets gave the fourth sort bad impressions of vagabonds, making them scared of them.

Question 26

Why did Elizabethans worry about poverty?

NO ARMY

Answer 26

The government worried because they had no army, so if one of Elizabeth’s enemies could unite the poor wandering beggars they could become a wrong threat to the Queen.

Question 27

Elizabeth’ government developed a varied approach to the poor:

Answer 27

• It accepted some responsibility for looking after the poor and thought that the rich should finance that help.
• It distinguished between the poor who wanted to work but couldn’t (‘deserving poor’), and those who were able-bodied but wouldn’t work (‘idle poor’ or ‘sturdy beggars’).

Question 28

Two acts were passed by Parliament telling towns how to deal with or help the poor.

Vagabonds Act, 1572

Answer 28

-Vagabonds over age of 14 will be whipped + burnt through ear.
-Vagabonds sent to prison after second offence.
-Persistent offenders would be executed.
+Children of convicted beggars placed in domestic service.
+Local Justices of Peace ordered to keep a register of the poor in its parish and raise a poor rate to pay for food and shelter for sick and elderly.

Question 29

Two acts were passed by Parliament telling towns how to deal with or help the poor.

Act of Relief of the Poor, 1576

Answer 29

+Towns were required to find work for the able-bodied poor.

+Those refusing an offer of work were to be sent to the house of correction (prison).

Question 30

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Conflict with Spain

Answer 30

• The wealth of Catholic Spain was based on gold and silver from Mexico and Peru.
• The English saw attacking Spanish treasure ships as an opportunity to make money by attacking a country that was no longer their ally.

Question 31

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Expansion of trade

Answer 31

• 75% all exports of English trade was exporting woollen cloth to Europe.
• Once the wool trade collapsed the need for new markets motivated journeys overland and overseas to establish trade agreements in countries as far away as India.

Question 32

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Spreading Protestantism

Answer 32

• In many Spanish expeditions Jesuit priests would undertake terrifying journeys as missionaries in far-off lands.
• Elizabethan explorers wanted to spread Protestantism in heathen lands largely by holding back the continuing expansion of their Catholic enemies.

Question 33

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Civilise other countries

Answer 33

• Elizabethans believed they were superior to other races and that it was their duty to spread their way of life throughout the world. They believed they could ‘civilise’ the Native Americans.
• This meant they had an ideological reason for embarking on more voyages.

Question 34

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

New technology

Answer 34

• Sea charts, astrolabes and compasses enabled sailors to plot voyages accurately. New ship designs created stronger, faster ships.
• This meant ships could travel further than before, so sailors such as Drake and Raleigh could expand their plans and voyages.

Question 35

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Opportunity to make money

Answer 35

• Many of the English upper classes were prepared to put money into overseas voyages as a way of making quick profit. Being a sailor ensured a regular wage and a way out of poverty for the lower classes.
• Attacks were made on Spanish cargo ships carrying gold and silver (e.g. the Caca fuego) and although this was piracy, they resulted in a fast and big profit for any investors, who would then put more money into voyages.

Question 36

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

New learning

Answer 36

• The printing press enabled books to reach a wider audience. Richard Halduyt used it to write many books on English voyages and discoveries.
• These books increased the thirst for learning in sailors and urged them to go on longer voyages. Drake and Raleigh acted as role models for others who looked to expand their horizons.

Question 37

Why was there so much overseas exploration in Elizabeth’s reign?

Experienced sailors

Answer 37

• English seamen were well trained and grew up in sea farming communities on the coast. Experienced sailors such as Drake and Hawkins were successful and well respected.
• Foreign voyages increased as they were more likely to succeed as the sailors were experienced.

Question 38

Why was Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe significant?

Answer 38

• Drake wanted revenge on Spanish for their attack on Hawkin’s fleet at San Juan de Ulua in 1568.
• Also wanted to make money for himself and his Queen by raiding Spanish settlements and treasure ships for sliver and gold.
• This stolen treasure would help the Queen fund future expeditions.
• Drake was a strict Puritan, eager to weaken Catholic Spain’s power.
• A weaker Spain would make England more secure from Spanish attack.
• Finding new lands for the Queen would make England more powerful.
• He wanted to find new trade routes to make more money for his investors, who were mostly merchants.

Question 39

Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe: (1) England to Brazil 1577-1578

Answer 39

• Fleet sailed from Plymouth, down west coast of Africa to Cape Verde Islands.
• Here, they captured a Portuguese ship and its cargo of wine.
• They sailed towards the east coast of South America and reached the equator, where there were quarrels among the crew due to storms and intense heat.

Question 40

Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe: (2) Brazil to Guatulco 1578-1579

Answer 40

• Sailed down South America to Port St. Julian. 2 crew members went ashore to trade but were killed fighting locals.
• Travelled up South America to Mocha, where they were hit by storms. Drake was left with 1 ship low on supplies. Once docked to collect supplies they were attacked by locals.
• Continued to Guatulco, attacking Spanish settlements and ships along the coast. They seized gold, silver and jewels.

Question 41

Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe: (3) South America to England 1579-1580

Answer 41

• Drake Continued up coast of North America, further than any English explorer before him. He landed in California and claimed it for his Queen, naming it New England. Locals thought Drake was a god and gave him gifts of feathers and tobacco.
• Continued across the Pacific Ocean to Ternate. King of Ternate made trade agreement with Drake that the English could buy their spices. The Golden Hind (Drake’s galleon) was loaded with cloves, pepper and ginger.
• Drake sailed up coast of West Africa back to England, making him first English man to circumnavigate the world. His first question when he landed in Plymouth, Sept 1580, was whether or not the Queen was still alive. Treasures he returned with was worth £140,000 and Queen’s share allowed her to pay off national debt.

Question 42

Sir Walter Raleigh’s voyage 1584

Answer 42

• Raleigh was a favourite to Elizabeth. He persuaded her to let him organise a voyage of 108 male settlers (led by Ralph Lane and Sir Richard Grenville) to North America.
• Grenville’s ship hit rocks as it came into land, seawater damaged supplies and seed crop. The 108 settlers began to starve and had to depend on angry natives for food while Grenville left for more supplies.
• Relations with local Native Americans not hostile at first, but some tribes became angry that colonists were taking up good land and resources. Lane was forced to abandon Roanoke Island in June 1586 when the local Secotans refused to feed them.
• On his return to court Lane talked about virtue of Chesapeake Bay as the best place for a settlement because it would enable searches for gold mines which locals told them about and a passage for boats through to the east. This got Elizabeth to sponsor another expedition.
• Raleigh was credited for establishing the first colony in Virginia and made ‘Lord and Governor of Virginia’.

Question 43

Sir Walter Raleigh’s voyage 1587

Answer 43

• Raleigh’s second expedition (led by John White) took settler families rather than soldiers, heading further north to Chesapeake Bay which was a better harbour.
• However the master pilot dropped them off at Roanoke Island again and refused to take them further due to his worry about hurricanes.
• They established a second colony there but too late to plant seeds and, again, relations with the local Native Americans were poor. White decided to return to England to bring back more supplies, but all ships were needed for defence against the Armada.
• White was unable to return until 1590, but the settlers he had left behind had disappeared leaving only a message saying ‘CRO’. Some believe this meant the settlers moved to the nearby island of Croatoan, but continued bad weather meant that White could not reach them, and in the end he returned to England.

Question 44

Advantages of establishing a colony in North America

Answer 44

• A base for attacking Spanish interests in the area.
• Prevents the Spanish and French from settling there.
• Provides prospect of a better life for growing numbers of poor in England.
• Gain access to rich local resources.
• Add to territories under the English crown and so increase its prestige.